Electrochemical patterning of electrically conducting polymers (PEDOT:PSS) is known and described in e.g. US2004/0188656 A1. In such electrochemical patterning, an electrically conducting polymer is rendered essentially non-conducting through the application of an electrolyte on the polymer, whereby an electric voltage is applied to the polymer using at least two electrodes connected to a voltage supply. Each electrode is in independent contact with one of the polymer and the electrolyte, and in response to the voltage, the polymer is rendered essentially non-conducting in the interface between the polymer and the electrolyte.
US 2004/0188656AI discloses a process for patterning a substrate comprising. a conducting polymer, wherein a predetermined voltage was applied to the conducting polymer, and the resulting current was measured. However, it is not possible based on the disclosure of US 2004/0188656A1 to determine, on a real-time basis, whether the patterning process is operating properly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,019 discloses a method for operating a print electrode in an electroerosion printer. The method comprises applying a trigger pulse having a high maximum voltage and a limited maximum current. However, it is not possible based on the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,019 to determine, on a realtime basis, whether the patterning process is operating properly.
Neither of the above mentioned prior art documents provides any possibility for controlling that the patterning process is proceeding properly, in particularly not during an ongoing production process.
In a production setting, it would be desirable to be able to verify, on a real-time basis, that the patterning process is operating properly. However, as the result of the patterning process, i.e. the non-conducting portions of the polymer, cannot always be immediately recognized, e.g. through visual inspection or in-line testing, there is a need for an improved method of monitoring the printing process.